Responsible Markets originates and develops profitable deals that have a positive and significant impact by:

identifying social and economic disequalibriums;

creating appropriate political and community context.

Responsible Markets identifies investment opportunities that allow creative investors to do good while doing well.

With the support of Lt. Governor Mazie Hirono, Responsible Markets has formed a Hawaii Capital Stewardship Advisory Committee, providing a forum for those involved in responsible investment initiatives in Hawaii to consult with national experts on subjects such a proxy voting, economically targeted investments, community investments, and portfolio screening.

Responsible Markets is currently working with the community of Hana, Maui, the nonprofit organization Ohana Makamae, and the Hotel Hana-Maui, with support from the County of Maui, to develop a community-driven visitor promotion plan and a community-based sustainable economic development plan.

RM drafted Senate Bill 2983, regarding Hawaii Employee's Retirement System investments, which was introduced into the Hawaii State Legislature in 2002 (the Senate passed the bill 23-1, but then the House held it until an audit of the ERS can be completed). SB 2983 would:

require the ERS board to execute all shareholder proxies and voting instructions in a manner that supports corporate governance, social justice, and environmental protection resolutions;

require the investment of a small portion of the fund's portfolio into economically targeted investments in Hawaii, which create jobs and have other collateral benefits, such as renewable energy and affordable housing; and

add insured intellectual property as an additional asset class for investment by the ERS.

This event sponsored by RM brought together leading experts and practitioners in the field of Socially Responsible Investment nationally to work with trustees and institutional investors from Native Hawaiian trusts, union pension funds, and foundations, providing an interactive venue for key Hawaii leadership to explore strategies for investing local capital in ways that include social, cultural and environmental factors within the context of financial performance and fiduciary responsibility.